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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Any opinions on Harry?

68 replies

Renaissance227 · 08/06/2011 10:48

My DP thinks that Harry will forever be linked with Harry Potter and therefore, even though we both like it, we can't use it. Any thoughts?
P.S. There is a strong chance our DC may have to wear glasses as we both do and DP is using this to strengthen his argurment. He also has no alternatives in place in case we don't use Harry!

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atrixo · 08/06/2011 11:53

I find Harry very common I'm afraid. it's another Alfie type name to me. Henry has much more class.

Renaissance227 · 08/06/2011 11:53

Any other suggestions then sparkle?

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sparkle12mar08 · 08/06/2011 11:52

The Harry Potter association worries me not a jot, and you/DP shouldn't let it worry you either. Harry is a perfectly nice name that will outlast HP a hundred years over. In my personal opinion only, it's just boring, is all :)

Renaissance227 · 08/06/2011 11:52

Any suggestions then mumoftoomany? Would love to hear some of the more lovely names out there! xx

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sparkle12mar08 · 08/06/2011 11:51

Renaisance - Yup! That's why names become very popular and frequently occurring - they're nice, decent, average, non-offensive, etc, etc, however you want to put it. But because they're so popular they become very boring, very quickly.

mumoftoomany · 08/06/2011 11:46

sorry meant to write alone

mumoftoomany · 08/06/2011 11:45

There are so many little Harrys around (along 5 in our Beavers group of 19 Shock) that I'm starting to tire of it a little, tbh. There are so many more lovely names out there imo.

Renaissance227 · 08/06/2011 11:41

So decent but common as muck sparkle?

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sparkle12mar08 · 08/06/2011 11:38

It's a perfectly lovely, non-offensive name, and therefore very boring and always very popular. They're ten a penny round here and I would avoid at all costs on that basis alone, there'll always be three or four in a class. The Harry Potter association is strong but it's a decent enough name to outlive that.

Renaissance227 · 08/06/2011 11:19

I do like Henry but have a cat called that!

Glad you're coming to like Harry Bucharest! I think it's cute but can also see a grown man calling himself Harry. It works for both and I like that! Smile

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Bucharest · 08/06/2011 11:17

Now you see,I think Harry is much posher than Henry which I think has been appropriated a bit erm, unposh people.

I'm liking Harry more as this thread progresses!

Renaissance227 · 08/06/2011 11:17

It does bother me a bit that it is so popular but we can't think of anything we like as much.
We like traditional English names that preferably cannot be shortened!

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daisybear · 08/06/2011 11:14

Harry's a lovely name and i wouldn't associate with HP
Its a very popular name though but that might not bother you

Renaissance227 · 08/06/2011 11:12

Thank you for that everyone.
We both spent at least a month not thinking about Harry Potter until recently and I swear it is someone at work who has put this in my DP's head even though he says he hasn't told anyone the name's we've chosen!
I also like Henry but we have a cat called Henry!

I will fight for Harry because I like it and because I can't think of any better alternatives.
Thanks again [smle]x

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lovetheoneyourewith · 08/06/2011 11:03

I don't mind Harry but I prefer Henry and if I wanted a Harry I would definitely name him Henry on the BC not Harold!

fruitychicken · 08/06/2011 11:02

I love it!! Have a nephew named Harry and he is a star!! I always associate names with people I know!! It's a really lovely, 'wee man' name!!! Would never even have thought of Harry Potter!! I would use. Good luck!!

BrainlessAndWitless · 08/06/2011 10:53

I like Harry.
As an aside, a friend of a friend going back to when Harry Potter first became popular, really liked the name Harry, but didn't want her son to be seen as "common" so gave him the "proper" name of Harold. I'm sorry if any of you have a Harold I do not mean to offend but oh my goodness Harold, for a newborn baby!!! hahahahaha!

Bucharest · 08/06/2011 10:50

S'OK.
It doesn't set me on fire, but it's not horrible.

I don't associate with HP at all, (and dd is currently reading N3 to me out loud at every spare minute)
I associate it with fairly posh people.